Electric fan



Oct. 20, 1925.

M. M. GLASSER ELECTRIC FAN Filed Nov. 13, 1924 2 Sheets-Slade; 1

Oct. 20, 1925. 1,557,683 M. M. GLASSER ELECTRIC FAN 7 Fil N 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 kw. 2

Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

UNITED stares PATENT OFFICE.

MAURICE M. GLASSER, OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA;

ELECTRIC FAN.

Application filed November 13, 1924. Serial- No. 749,712.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAURICE M. GLASSER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Charleston, in the county of Charleston and State of South Carolina, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Electric Fans; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part vof this specification.

This invention relates to an oscillating electric .fan and particularly to improvements in a fan of the general type shown in my prior Patent No. 1,354,098, dated Sep tember 20, 1920, on an oscillator for electric fans.

In fans of this type the rotor, journaled in a yoke. is adapted to be oscillated about the axis of its journal, while separate mechanism is provided for rotating the yoke and fan about an aXis at right angles to the axis of oscillation of the rotor whereby the blasts v to the/ceiling or other supporting surface.

of air created by the oscillating rotor will constantly sweep in anew plane. This insures the blasts of air reaching all points around the room and makes the fan especially adapted for use in cases where it is preferred not to have thefan continuously throwing the air in fixed orlimited directions.

Usually this rotation of the rotor and yoke is accomplished intermittently but in some cases it has been found that the means for accomplishing this intermittent movement ceases to function, and the primary object of the present invention is to provide means for causing this rotation of the rotor in a way that will be sure in operation.

In carrying out this primary object the invention also contemplates the form of mechanism that will be simple in its operation, not apt to .get out of working order, and which will have a comparatively low production cost.

-With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations, and arrangements of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described and the novel features thereof particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Iuthe accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fan embodying the present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a vertcal sectional view of the structure by which the rotor carrying yoke is supported from the ceiling or other sur face. Fig. 3' is a more or less detail view show ing the mechanism for causing the rotation of the yoke by the oscillating motor casing.

Fig. 4c is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 4L'4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a similar'view taken on the line 5.5 of Fig. 2; and I Fig. 6 is a view taken Fig. 2. i

In the preferred construction the motor supporting yoke 10 is rotatably supported on a shaft 11 which. is provided at one end with a screw threaded socket 12 for attachment to a suitable fixture 13 that is secured The motor casing 14 carrying thefmotor, and the fan blades 15 on the motor shaft, is journaled at the depending ends of the yoke arms and is adapted to be oscillated on its bearings by the crank disk 16 operated by suitable gearing within the motor (not shown), said crank disk having a connecting rod 17 extending between it and a fixed plate 18 so that the rotation of the disk will cause the motor casing to be oscillated back and forth. i

The yoke 1O is provided with a sleeve 19 taking a bearing on theshaft .11 and surrounding said sleeve is another sleeve 20 of any suitable insulating material, this latter sleeve being provided at its lower endwith a disk of insulating material 21 resting on the top of the yoke 10. Surrounding sleeve 20 is a second sleeve 22 of insulating material around which there is secured preferably three current collecting rings 23, 24,

on the line 6-6 of I 25, from which three current conducting strips such as shown at26 extend down between sleeves 20, 21, to suitable terminals 27 secured on adisk of insulating material 28 which is clamped or secured to the yoke 10 by a bolt 29 passing; through said disk 2L which aids in lubricating the contacting sur-' faces of the collecting rings and strips 30.- One of the bent back portions of each split ring 30 is engaged by a spring 34, the pressure of which on the strip is regulated by a screw 35 in the cap 32, so that the pressure of the conducting ring on the collecting ring can be varied by adjustment out said screw. shell 36 which encircles the parts just described are secured by screws 37 to a flange 38 formed on the shaft 11 immediately bee low the screw threaded socket 12, this shell 36 extends down around all the parts just described and c'oversthe same to hide and protect the electrical engagement between the collecting rings and the conducting rin s- Current is brought by wires 39 to one end of the conducting rings 30 and may be carried from the terminals or binding posts to the motor by wire arranged in any desired way.

The mechanism for intermittently rotatmg the yoke on the shatt ll to cause the successive oscillations of the fan blades to takeplace in successively ditterent planes is carried at the lower end of said shaft 11. This mechanism preferably comprises a latch lever having adown-turned end and a curved end portion 51 loosely secured between the flanges 52 53 ot a sleeve secured rigid to the lower end of shaft 11 by a disk and screw 54. The curved portion 51 of the latch lever is free to rotate on the sleeve when moved in one direction by the oscillation of the motor casing; but when moved in the opposite direction by the motor casing-said curved end portion 51 is adapted to be locked to the sleeve whereby the yoke will be caused to turn on the shaft- 11. To accomplish this co-operating locking cle men'ts are provided on said curved end portion 51 of the latch and the'fl'ange 52 of said sleeve. 7 I j j 1 locking elements preferably consist Said of a series of apertures 55 in said flange and a projection, such as a screw 56 secured in the curved end portion of the latch lever. To permit the .curved end portion 51 of the latch lever to move freely in one direction but to cause the screw to engage one of the apertures in- .the flange 52 there is provided a split ring member surroundingv t 1e sleeve which-is provided with projections The housing 32 and the cylindrical 58 against which the curved portion 51 abuts at times. Said ring member is free to rotate on the sleeve so that when the motor casing 14 is oscillated as shown in Fig. 3 and the finger 59 engages arm 50 of the latch lever to move it toward the left, the end of the curved portion 51 will move into contact with projection 58 and the ring'member 60 and curved portion 51 will both move or rotate on the sleeve.

The frictional err-" enre's between said ring and sleeve, however, is such that when the direction of oscillation of the motor casing is reversed and the linger 61 comes against arm and portion 51 engages the projecting end or" the ring, the curved end portion of the latch lever carrying'the projection56 will be tilted or lifted up. The frictional contact of the ringand sleeve, however permits the ring to move until projection 56 comes into registry with and engages in one of the apertures in the flange 52 The parts will then be locked together and sleeve 54L being fixed on the sl 1ft, the art-n 50 cannot move toward the right, in Fig. 3 with the result thatthe yoke 10 will rotate a short distance on'shaft 11. After the has reached the limit of its oscillation and again reverses its direction mover: t curved end portion 51 ot the latch lei er will move ordrop down, as shown in Fir; 3, to disengage the projection and when finger 59again comes in contact with arm curved end portion 51 and the ring member 60 will be free to rotate on thesleeve asbei ore described.

To regulate t e frictional engagement between ri :nl the sleeve and to provide rrojections are ring against which. the latch lever will er, said ring is preterablv 111 l 'n the to of a split ring with its end p11 ns extending around the sleeve and its nte iediate portion ben-t back upon itself to to. he projection 58 which extencs out beyond the edges of flanges 52 and 53. Faaid intermediate portions are connected together by screw 62 to hold the ring); in proper frictional engagement with the sleeve. By moving; the tap on the screw 52 the frictional c nagc ncnt between the'parts can be regulate at will, To take some of the strain oil of the yoke and the parts secured to the shaft end by lag screw 54, spring washer is interposed between the top of flange and yoke 10-.

In order that lubricant willbe conveyed to the various relatively moving parts the shaft 11 is provided with lubricant recesses 66; lubricant being supplied between the shaft 11 and slceve 19 through a duct formed at the point where the upper surface of the flange 38 inerges'with the sock eted upper end 12 oi the shaft; The lubricant deposited in the duct will work itself around to all portions of the contacting surfaces of shaft 11 and sleeve 19, as will be readily understood. Lubricant for the contacting surfaces of collecting. rings 28 to and conducting rings 30 is taken care of by the provision of circumferentially extending grooves 67 in the exterior surfaces of the collecting rings in which lubricant can be deposited'before the parts are assembled.

To properly lubricate the exterior of sleeve said sleeve is provided with one or more reservoirs such as wicks 68 secured in the sleeve and adapted to be saturated with suitable lubricant which can reach the exterior surface of the sleeve through a-circumferential groove 69 in the exterior of said sleeve, the recess being of sufficient depth as to intersect theholes in which the wicks are secured.

WVith a yoke rotating mechanism, such as described, the cost of production is greatly reduced and while the parts are comparatively simple they are exceedingly eflicient in that there 'is little likelihood of their failing to function. The frictional engagement between ring and the sleeve being easily regulated, the curved end portion of the latch lever is sure to be raised each time the motor casing oscillates towards the. right, as shown in Fig. 3, and said curved end portion being loose on the sleeve, the latch lever is sure .to free projection 56 from the flange 52after the'motor casing has reached its limit of movement when oscillating toward the right, when looking at- Fig. 3.

- What I claim is:

1. In an electric fan, a supporting element, a yoke rotatable on said member, a motor casing journaled in the yoke, means for oscillating the casing in a plane at right angles to the direction of rotation of the yoke, and means for intermittently rotating the yoke, said means comprising a plate fixed to the supporting element, a latch lever, cooperating latching elements on said plate and lever normally held disengaged by gravity, and means controlled by the oscillation of the motor casing for positively moving said latching elements into engagement.

,2. In an electric fan, a supporting ele ment, a yoke rotatable on said element, a motor casing journaled on the arms of the yoke, means for oscillating said casing in a plane at right angles to the direction of rotation of the yoke, and means for intermit tently rotating said yoke, said means comprising a fixed member, alatch member, co operating latching elements, means carried by the casing for rotating the latch member with the latching elements held disengaged by gravity during oscillation of the casing in one direction and means for positively moving the latching members into engagement upon oscillation of the casing in the opposite direction.

3. In an electric fan, a supporting element, a yoke rotatable on said element, a motor casing journaled on the arms of the yoke, means for oscillating saidcasing-in a plane at right angles to the direction of rotation ofthe yoke, and means for intermit-- tently rotating said yoke, said means comprising a fixedplate having a series of apertures therein, a latch member having a circular portion surrounding the supporting element and a depending arm,there being a projection on said circular portion normally held by gravity out of engagement with the apertures in the plate, spaced fingers carried by the casing adapted to oscillate the arm of the latch member and rotate the'circular portion of said member, said circular portion being free, to rotate on the support ing member in one direction while the projection is disengaged from said apertures,

and means-for positively'elevating said circular portion of the latch member when the casing tends to oscillate said member in the opposite direction whereby-the projection on the circular portion is moved into one of said apertures.

4. In an electric fan, a supporting element, a yoke rotatable on said element, a

motor casingjournaled on the arms of the V yoke, means for oscillating said casing. in a plane at right angles to the dlrectlon of rotation of-the yoke, and means forintermittently rotatingsaid yoke, said means comprising a sleeve fixed on the supporting element and having an apertured flange, a split ring member surrounding said sleeve and-rotatable thereon, a latch lever having a circular portion .surrounding'said sleeve and a depending arm, a projection on said circular portion,'means carried by the casing adapted to oscillatesaid arm whereby the circular portion is alternately moved in opposite directions. and means on said, ring member for limiting the movement of said circular portion ofthe latch lever in one direction and positively moving the, projection on the latch lever into engagement with an aperture in the flangeof the fixed sleeve.

5. In an electric fan, a supporting element, a yoke rotatable on said element, a motorcasing journaled on the arms of'the yoke,means for oscillating said casing in a plane at rightangles to the direction of rotation of the yoke, and means for intermittently rotating said yoke, s'aid means comprising a sleeve fixed on the supporting ele ment, a split ring surrounding and frictionally engaging said sleeve, a latch member surrounding said sleeve, a flange on they sleeve, cooperating latching elements carried by said latch member and flange, said latching elements being normally held disengaged by .gravity, means on the casing'for rotating the latch member alternately in opposite direction, the frictional engagement Nil) lEO

between said ring'and sleeve being such that said latch member is tree to rotate on the sleeve in one direction, and means on said ring engageable by the latch member when moved in the opposite direction to move the cooperating latching elements into engage-- ment with each other.

'6. In an electric fan, a supporting el'ement, a yoke rotatable on said element, a motor casing journaled on the yoke, means for oscillating the casing in a plane at right angles to the direction of rotation of the yoke, and means for intermittently rotating the yoke, said means comprising asleevc on said supporting element, latch lever surrounding said sleeve, cooperating latching elements carried by the sleeve and latch lever, means on the motor casing for alternately rotating said latch lever in opposite directions, means surrounding said sleeve'an'd engaging said latch lever, said means being freely movable with said lever in one direction and trictionall'y held against movement in the opposite direction to move said cooperating latching elements into' engagement with each other.

7. In an electric fan, a supporting element, a yoke rotatable on said element, a motor casing journaled on the yoke, means for oscillating the casing in a plane at right angles to the direction of rotation oif'the yoke, and means for intermittently rotating the yoke, said means comprising a sleeve on said supporting element, a latch lever surrounding said sleeve, cooperating latching elements carried by the sleeve and latch lever, means on the motor casing for alternately rotating said latch lever in opposite directions, a split ring surrounding said sleeve and engaging said latch lever, said split ring being freely movable with said lever in one direction and fri ctio nally held against movement in the opposite direction to move said cooperating latching elements into engagement with each other, and means for regulating the frictional engagement between said split ring and sleeve.

8. In an electric fan, a supporting ele ment, a yoke rotatable on said element, a motor casing journaled on the yoke, means for oscillating the casing in a plane at right angles to the direction of rotation of the yoke, and means for intermittently rotating the yoke, said means comprising a sleeve on said supporting element, a latch lever surrounding said sleeve, cooperating latching elements carried by the sleeve and latch lever, means on the. motor casing for alternately rotating said latch lever in opposite directions, a split ring surrounding said sleeve and engaging said latch lever, said split ring being freely movable with said lever in one direction and frictionally held against movement in the opposite direction to move said cooperating latching elements cant will be delivered to the surface of the sleeve on which said Split ring and latch lever rotate.

9. In an electric fan, a supporting ele ment, a fixed sleeve. surrounding the support, a latch member having a curved end portion loose on the sleeve and a depending arm, a yoke rotatable on the support, a motor c'asing journ'aled on the yoke, means for oscillating the casing in a plane at right angles to the direction of rotation of the yoke, means on the casing engaging the latch arm to rotate the curved end portion of said l'atch alternately in opposite directions, and means permitting rotation of said curved end portion in one direction about the sleeve while looking said curved end portion to the sleeve when rotated in the opposite direction.

10 In an electric fan, a supporting element, at fixed sleeve on the support; a latch member having an end, curved portion loose on the sleeve, cooperating latching elements carried by said sleeve and the curved portion of the latch, a yoke rotatable 311 the support, a motor casing journaled 1n the yoke, means for oscillating the casing, means for rotating, the curved portion of the latch alternately in opposite directions, and means for limiting the movement of the curved portion in one direction and moving said cooperating latching elements into engagement.

c 11. In an electric fan, a supporting element, a fixed sleeve on the support, a latch member having an end curved portion loose on the sleeve, cooperating latching elements carried by said sleeve and the curved portion of the latch, a yoke rotatable on the support, a motor casing journaled in the yoke, means for oscillating. the casing, means for rotating the curved portion of the latch alternately in opposite directions, and a ring surrounding said sleeveand provided with a projection adapted to engage the curvedportion of the latch when the latter is rotated in either direction, said ring being free to rotate on the sleeve in one direction but held against movement in the opposite direction to effect engagement of the said cooperating latching elements.

12. In an electric fan, a supporting, element, a fixed sleeve on the support, a latch member having an end curved portion loose on the sleeve, cooperating latching elements carried by said sleeve and the curved portion of the latch, a yoke rotatable on the support, a motor casing journaled inthe yoke, means for oscillating the casing, means for rotating the curved portion of the latch rection but frictionally held against movealternately in opposite directions a split ment in the opposite direction to effect 611- ring surrounding said sleeve and provided g gement of said cooperating latching ele- 10v ith a j ti d t d t engage th ments, and means for regulating the friccurved portion of the latch When the latter tionalengagement between said ring and is rotated in either direction, said ring Sleevebeing free to rotate on the sleeve in one di- MAURICE MiGLASSER, 

